Residents Announces Mural Design Contest

Residents Forward launched its Port Washington Mural Project last year to bring community pride to life on the walls of Main Street. Each mural showcases yet another facet of what makes Port Washington so special. Although the paint is barely dry on the newest mural, ‘Remembering the Unforgettable” which memorializes service people from Port Washington who lost their lives in the line of duty, Residents is already planning its fourth installment.

The “Painting History” theme for the next mural was chosen to celebrate the many

generations that lived and worked here. “We are fortunate to have the resources of

the Cow Neck Historical Society and the Port Washington Public Library to draw

from,” stated Residents Forward Executive Director Mindy Germain. “The

inspiration for artists is endless - from the Native Americans and Revolutionary

history to the Sand Miners and Clam Diggers, to the history of aviation and the Gold

Coast era. We can’t wait to see what our community comes up with.”

Residents is conducting a design contest with HEARTS to determine which artist’s work will be featured for the new mural. The only two requirements are that the artist either lives or works in Port Washington and that the design submitted brings one or more parts of Port Washington’s nearly 375-year history to life.

The presenting sponsor for the mural is HEARTS, whose mission is to help enrich the arts in Port Washington, supported by a generous donation from HEARTS Founder and Chairman Damon Gersh and his wife, award-winning painter Rachelle Krieger. “Rachelle and I are very proud to be co-sponsoring this mural that will celebrate Port Washington’s incredible history,” mural co-sponsor Damon Gersh said. “We’re excited to see Residents Forward and HEARTS partnering together to help create another beautiful public art project to be enjoyed by the entire community.”

The mural will be painted on the wall on the side of Carlo’s Pizza, which is located at 109 Main Street. Like many other sites in Port, the building has an interesting historical beginning. Built in the 1930s using donkeys to dig the foundation, the original painted sign of Logan’s Seashell Bar is still visible on the wall, which will be restored as part of the project.

The evaluation committee consists of representatives from Residents Forward, HEARTS and The Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society. Submissions must be posted on or before July 15, 2018 and uploaded to the entry page. Visit pwresidents.org and click on the “Mural Design Contest” link. That page also has information and a Q&A section for artists’ reference. Artist may also contact Residents Forward with questions at 767-9151 or info@pwresidents.org.

Last year, Residents Forward launched its Mural Program with spectacular tributes to some of the reasons Port Washington is such a wonderful community. The first two are located on the walls of 5 and 9 Main Street. Sponsored by and located on the wall of Delux Transportation, the latest work of art pays tribute to local service people who lost their lives in the line of duty.

About Residents Forward (formerly Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington):

Rooted in the principle that our environment, health and well-being are interdependent, Residents Forward imagines and advances the critical projects that make the Port Washington peninsula beautiful, sustainable and resilient. For more information email info@pwresidents.org

Photo caption

Carlo’s Wall, The Site for the upcoming “Painting History” mural.